


Blank Canvas

by captainamergirl



Category: General Hospital
Genre: A to Z - Freeform, F/F, I love Saliz, I'm Saliz trash, Jason who, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 16:32:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11809866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainamergirl/pseuds/captainamergirl
Summary: Danny has cancer and Elizabeth is there for him ... and his mother. (Circa 2013. Jason is dead and will stay dead in this story.)A to Z Saliz.





	1. Chapter 1

**A - Almost**  
  
Elizabeth found her sitting in the hospital stairway between the fifth and six floors, head in her hands. She had seen the other brunette run like hell itself was on her heels when she got the news. Elizabeth had been there when Patrick dropped the bomb. Even delivering it as gently as he could, it was of course still a very bitter pill to swallow.  
  
“Hey,” Elizabeth said as she hovered beside Sam. “Can I get you a cup of coffee or something? _Decaf,”_ she added lamely, trying to provoke a smile, even a forced one, from her former foe. The fact that she no longer thought of Sam as the enemy amazed even her.  
  
Sam looked up slowly, chocolate brown eyes stormy with pain. Tears stained her cheeks and streaks of black mascara ran down her face. “No, no coffee. I just ... I don’t think I can handle this. I almost want to run out of the hospital and never come back. I can’t stand the thought of seeing Danny suffer like this... Especially because he’s suffering because of me!”  
  
Elizabeth hesitated only a moment before reaching down and gently touching Sam’s arm. She might have offered Sam a hug but she wasn’t sure Sam would go for that so she just squeezed her arm gently, her skin feeling warm under Liz’s palm. “He’s not suffering because of you, Sam. Its nothing you did. Don’t give yourself that kind of power.”  
  
“If I would have brought him in sooner... When I first saw the rash ... if I would have believed Dr. Clay when he said Danny was sick...”  
  
“You couldn’t have known, Sam. Babies get rashes all of the time. Danny is going to have the best care in the world with the team of doctors and nurses who will be on his case. Plus he has an excellent mom who will support him the whole way.”  
  
“What if I can’t do this? I don’t want to lose him - not again.”  
  
“You have to think positive.”  
  
Sam swiped at her cheeks. “Why are you being so nice to me? After everything I’ve done to you -”  
  
“I was never innocent in our battles, if that’s what you want to call them. We hurt each other, but its time to move on. To focus on the future and Danny and what he needs.”  
  
“I’ve never been so scared...”  
  
“I know. And you’re going to keep being scared until this nightmare is over but you’re not alone, Sam. You have a lot of people around here that care about you and Danny... That includes me.”  
  
Sam nodded. “Thank you, Elizabeth.”  
  
“Sure...” Elizabeth said. She then lightly brushed Sam’s hand before letting go. She knew Sam needed time to herself and Elizabeth would let her have that. She knew better than anyone how much it hurt when your child was suffering.  
  
\---  
  
 **B - Bad**  
  
“I am such a bad mother,” Sam murmured as she found herself sitting in the hospital stairwell once again. Elizabeth sat beside her, offering her hand to Sam. Sam took it and held on for dear life.  
  
“Why do you keep saying that, Sam?”  
  
“Because I am sitting here crying like a big old mess instead of standing at the OR door waiting for my son to come out.”  
  
“Its going to be several hours. You're dead on your feet as it is, I can tell that very easily. In fact, you should be resting while he’s in there. I can wake you up if there’s anything you need to know.”  
  
“I can’t sleep while he’s having surgery!” Sam protested tearfully.  
  
“You have to, Sam. When’s the last time you rested? You look beat, so come on. I insist.” Elizabeth yanked Sam to her feet, using all the strength in her petite body. Sam tried to dig her heels into the carpeted stairs but her resistance was low and Elizabeth was surprisingly forceful when she wanted to be. Sam was actually a bit impressed even as she wanted to keep fighting it. The truth was though that it had been nearly five weeks since this nightmare began and she would love a nap. Pacing the penthouse every single night got her nowhere, obviously.  
  
Elizabeth kept tugging her forward as they passed through the waiting room. "Where are we going, Liz?” Sam asked.  
  
“To find you a real bed. The chairs in the waiting room are so uncomfortable. Believe me, I know.”  
  
Sam wanted to protest but found that she couldn't. Elizabeth located an empty room and moved over to the bed. She drew back the covers and gave Sam a look that said _“Don’t argue with me.”_   Sam couldn’t have even tried. Every bone in her body ached, along with her heart and soul.  
  
Elizabeth helped Sam into the bed and pulled the covers up to Sam’s chin as if she were a child. “Sleep well, Sam. I’ll let you know when there’s any news.”  
  
Sam grabbed Elizabeth’s hand again. “Wait.”  
  
Elizabeth looked down at their joined hands. “What is it?”  
  
“Why are you helping me?” Sam asked. “We used to make each other so miserable and here you are, being like ... Florence Nightingale.”  
  
Elizabeth scoffed at the comparison. “Hardly.”  
  
“Well you are doing a really great job here.”  
  
“Thanks ... But it's not just a job to me, Sam. I am trying to honor Jason and my son Jake by being there for you and Danny. He was Danny’s brother after all ... Also, I just don’t want you to feel alone. I would never want that for anyone. But mostly, I just don’t want to be your enemy anymore.”  
  
Sam nodded as her eyes fluttered shut. “Me either,” she murmured. She felt Elizabeth lightly touch her tear-stained cheek and then Sam was falling into a deep sleep, floating off into a dream world where babies didn't get cancer.


	2. Chapter 2

**C - Canvas**  
  
Sam awoke sometime later to find Elizabeth sitting at her bedside, drawing something, doodling actually, on a piece of paper. Liz looked up at her and offered her a smile, setting down her pencil. “Hey.”  
  
“Hey... Has there been any news on my son yet?”  
  
“I checked in on him about twenty minutes ago. He’s still in surgery.” Sam started to vault off the bed but Elizabeth was quickly grabbing for her, pushing her back down. “It's okay. He’s doing great, Sam. Dr. Clay is really hopeful.”  
  
Sam felt Elizabeth’s fingers on her arm and she relaxed a bit under the warmth that was emanating from Elizabeth’s touch. “I don’t trust him.”  
  
“I know. He’s frankly cocky and his bedside manner is well, lacking, but he’s also a great doctor. He’s going to help Danny.”  
  
Sam nodded. “I hope so.” She rolled over on her side and spotted the picture Elizabeth had been drawing. "Ohmigod. That’s me,” she said, studying the pencil drawing. “Why did you draw me?”  
  
Elizabeth let go of Sam’s arm. There was a light pinkness to her cheeks now. “It’s my lunch break and I was feeling antsy so … Well, the easiest way for me to relax is to grab a pencil and just draw. Anything can become a canvas really.”  
  
“It’s really well done,” Sam said. She reached for the paper as Elizabeth looked embarrassed. “But was I really crying in my sleep? There are teardrops on my face in the sketch.”  
  
“Yes, you were crying. I almost woke you up but I told myself you needed your rest more. You kept saying Danny’s name, over and over. Once you even called out for Jason…”  
  
“I wish he was here, Elizabeth, I really do. He would know what to do, how to handle this better than I ever could.”  
  
“I know you miss him.”  
  
Sam sighed and ran a hand through her long, tussled hair. “I can’t believe we can talk about him now without clawing each other’s eyes out. Those fights we used to have, seem so long ago. So petty…”  
  
“They do,” Elizabeth agreed. Her eyes followed Sam’s as she looked at the picture again. “I hope you don’t mind that I sketched you.”  
  
“No, I don’t. It’s just startling seeing how authentic this looks. Every day I look in the mirror, this is what I see – tears and all. You really captured … everything.”  
  
Elizabeth shrugged. “It's just what I see.”  
  
“You see a broken woman."  
  
“No, you’re not broken, Sam, but you do have a lot on your plate right now. It can make anyone feel out of sorts.” Elizabeth turned away. “Anyway, I am going to see what I can find out. You stay here, okay?”  
  
Sam once again didn’t have the energy to argue. She simply nodded and watched as Elizabeth walked out of the room.   
  
She looked back at the picture Elizabeth had drawn of her and tucked it into the pocket of her jeans. She didn’t know why, but she needed to have it.  
  
\---  
  
 **D – Donuts**  
  
“Donuts and coffee for everyone,” Sam announced a few days later as she walked into General Hospital. She was pushing a sleeping Danny in his stroller and was followed by Alexis, Rafe and Molly who were carrying carafes of warm coffee and boxes of donuts from a specialty bakery in New York City.  
  
“What’s the occasion, Mrs. Morgan?” The student nurse Sam now knew as Sabrina asked. The truth was, she knew them all a little _too_   well by now. She had spent so much damn time here in the last month and a half. Danny was already feeling better though, it seemed, and Sam knew she owed all of them for their time and caring. Giving them a snack seemed a really cheap way to say “thank you” but she hadn’t known what else to do. She was optimistic that Danny was going to be okay, something she hadn’t been before. In a few days, she would find out for sure if the surgery had saved her son’s life.  
  
“Yummy,” Dr. Britt Westbourne said as she walked over and swiped at a sugary donut. “I needed this. After all I am eating for two.” She then put the snack to her lips as she walked away.   
  
It wasn’t long before the donuts were nearly devoured. Only two remained – one with chocolate sprinkles and a raspberry cream-filled. Sam looked at her mother. “I haven’t seen Elizabeth yet … Which one of these do you think she’d like?”  
  
Alexis shrugged. “I have no idea.”  
  
Sam bit her lip as she considered it. “I’m going with the chocolate one. She loves her brownies so…” Her voice trailed off as she made busy work of pouring a cup of hazelnut coffee into a cup and then putting the chocolate donut on a little plate. She looked at her mom. “Can you watch Danny for a few minutes?”  
  
Alexis nodded. “Yes, of course. You know how much I love ‘Grandma Duty’.”  
  
Sam nodded and watched Alexis for a moment. She leaned down and lifted Danny from his stroller, tucking him onto her shoulder. The baby stirred and then went right back to sleep. It was a touching sight to Sam and she had to bite her lip to remind herself not to cry. She just prayed that they had many more moments like this with her son.  
  
Sam asked around and finally found Elizabeth sitting in the hospital stairwell, appearing to be very lost in thought. “Liz, is everything okay?” Sam asked as she pushed through the door and sank down onto the top stair above Elizabeth.  
  
Elizabeth turned and looked at Sam. She nodded but Sam could tell that she was fighting back tears. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“One of my patients … They died this morning,” Elizabeth said. “He wasn’t even ten years old and he’s just gone. His parents are devastated… He died due to complications from a damn hit and run.”  
  
“Ohmigod, I’m … I don’t know what to say. That has to bring up a lot of unpleasant memories.”  
  
“Yeah, it does. Death is heartbreaking ... Maybe I’m in the wrong business…”  
  
“No, Elizabeth, you aren’t. Don’t doubt yourself. You have been truly amazing through everything with Danny… and me. You have gone above and beyond and I know that you do that for every patient. You have made the past several weeks bearable and I know that for however long that little boy was in your care, he felt how much you cared.”  
  
A tear slipped down Elizabeth’s alabaster cheek. She wiped it away. “Thanks for saying that. I was about to walk out of here and never come back but maybe … Maybe I’ll just stick around.” She noticed the donut and cup of coffee. “What are those for?”  
  
“They’re for you,” Sam said. “I brought donuts and coffee for everyone who has helped with Danny. You deserved first pick but well, everyone here sure can eat.”  
  
Elizabeth smiled. “Yeah, they can. Twelve-to-sixteen hour shifts are really draining … Anyway thanks for the sugar and caffeine fuel,” she said as Sam handed her the items. Their fingers briefly brushed and Sam pulled away quickly. Elizabeth felt so warm and comforting. Why did she have to be that way?  
  
“Hope you like chocolate sprinkles,” Sam said lamely.  
  
“Yeah, they’re my fave actually.” Elizabeth took a bite of the sugary concoction and smiled. She chewed and swallowed. “Wow. That is exactly what I needed.” She took another bite as Sam found herself watching Elizabeth’s mouth.  
  
“What – do I have sprinkles all over me?” Elizabeth asked.  
  
“Actually you do,” Sam said and grabbed a napkin out of her pocket, dabbing at Elizabeth’s cheek. Their eyes met and held and then Sam pulled back. “It’s gone.”  
  
“Thanks, Sam.”  
  
“No, Elizabeth, thank you. Seriously. What you’ve done for Danny and me … I will never forget it, ever.”


End file.
